HA NOI — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Electricity of Viet Nam have decided to release more water from reservoirs in the next two days to ensure that there is enough water for the crops in northern Vinh Phuc and Bac Ninh provinces.

Nguyen Tri Ngoc, head of the ministry's Department of Cultivation, said that the water level of the Hong (Red) River has reached a 100-year low.

As planned, water from three reservoirs will be released. More than 220 pumping machines will be installed at 72 stations and irrigation canals will be dredged in order to supply water to the northern region.

Water has already been let out from three reservoirs in Hoa Binh, Thac Ba and Tuyen Quang for a week during the first week of this month.

More than 100,000ha of winter-spring crops in northern Nam Dinh and Thai Binh provinces had been saved, said Ngoc.

However, more than 15,000ha of crops in Vinh Phuc and Bac Ninh are still in dire need of water, so additional water from three reservoirs will be let out for the crops in these two provinces, added Ngoc.

Relevant authorities will be responsible for instructing farmers in their area to finish the cultivation of their crops in February.

Bui Minh Tang, director of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasts, said that in the next two months, the average temperature would be higher than previous years. There would also be unusual hot spells during the beginning of March.—VNS